General Info:
Dr James Dysart DVM PC.
Equine veterinarians specialize in veterinary medicine for horses. Horses have different needs from other domestic animals. Their size, weight, temperament, and anatomy require special care. Horses' hooves need to be cleaned and maintained daily. The dirt and manure that collect in the grooves need to be scraped out and cleaned. Without proper care their hooves can rot and degenerate to the point where euthanization is necessary. This task can be dangerous because standing behind a horse puts you in the path of its hind legs. A horse can easily injure or kill a person with one kick. An equine veterinarian can provide you with instruction on how to avoid injury and maintain the health of horse's hooves.
Some of the services that equine veterinarians provide are examinations, vaccinations, medical care for sick horses and dental care.
Horses in North America, Canada, the Caribbean, and some parts of Europe are susceptible to eastern equine encephalitis. Eastern equine encephalitis is a virus that is transmitted to horses through the sting of a mosquito. A mosquito can infect a horse by feeding on it after the mosquito has bit an infected bird. Eastern equine encephalitis is a serious condition that required immediate care at the onset of symptoms.
Horses show signs of infection within 1-3 weeks after being bitten by an infected mosquito. Signs of infection include a high fever, sensitivity to sound and restlessness. Other signs are drowsiness and drooped ears caused by brain liaisons. No vaccine exists for eastern equine encephalitis but veterinarians are able to treat the symptoms. Treatment for horses is necessary because of the high mortality rate associated with the virus. Equine veterinarians can provide you with additional guidance to reduce the risk to your horses as well as treat the symptoms of the condition.
Horse tick fever, or equine piroplasmosis, has been primarily found in horses in Eastern Europe, the Caribbean, and Africa. It wasn't until recently that equine piroplasmosis showed up in America. A horse in Florida was diagnosed with equine piroplasmosis in August of this year. Horses with this condition become jaundice, depressed, and develop a fever. Despite this condition being rare, you can protect your horses from this tick if it does spread and from other ticks by examining your horses regularly and contacting an equine veterinarian if you find any suspicious ticks or your horse shows symptoms of equine piroplasmosis.
Horses also have special dental needs. Young horses under 5 should have an evaluation twice a year. Older horses only need to be evaluated once a year unless problems arise. Horses behave similar to many humans when it comes to dental problems. They ignore them and bear the discomfort and pain that they feel.
Horses may show signs of dental problems such as large undigested food particles in their waste, a noxious smell coming from the mouth and nose region, abnormal behavior such as resisting being bridles, and deteriorating bodily condition. Dental problems in horses need to be treated quickly so that damage doesn't reach the point of no return.
Equine veterinarians are highly skilled professionals who dedicate their time to the treatment of horses. Contact an equine veterinarian if you don't have one already and you have questions about the care of your horses.